Rifle for kids at the range?

[GagHalfrunt]

A .22 is plenty of gun for a kid at the range, they can learn how to handle a rifle and proper safety using any caliber. Kids also don't have issues with the size of their manhood and don't need to try to compensate with bigger guns firing more powerful rounds. That sort of insecurity is something they'll learn later in life. Go with a .22

 

[MrPickins]

.22lr for sure.

The only real issue is the current lack of availability of ammunition.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Another option albeit an expensive one is an AR in .223 with a 22lr conversion kit. That way the kids can learn with 22lr and you can shoot .223. However you may find you like shooting 22lr also because of the cheap ammo.

AR style 22lr $400-500 vs. .223 AR $750+$300 for good conversion kit

 

[Scarpozzi]

ruger 10/22..tricked out.

Ex:

I was going to suggest a 10/22 as well. The problem with going to a .223 has nothing to do with whether or not they can handle it.

An AR-15 is great, but they are more powerful (ie, loud)... Even with the .22 rounds, make sure they where hearing protection.

Aside from that, the cost of the round is what would deter me from getting a .223 as a plinker for kids. You want a rifle they can master and shoot on a whim for a few dollars rather than a few hundred. .22 ammo isn't even cheap anymore, but it's much better than $.40-.60/round

 

[GuitarDaddy]

22lr is hard to find right now, but just talk to the counter guys at your local walmart or Academy and see when they get there shipments. My local academy gets ammo on mon/wed/fri and it's usually sold out by 10am

 

[madoka]

Ok, I admit this looks fun. How do you buy it in CA if they only allow 10 round clips? Does the dealer just swap it out?

I'm in CA too. The M&P 22 is available in CA with a 10 round version. Plus NO BULLET BUTTON on it because it's a 22LR! It's a fun gun. I put a ACOG on mine.

 

[OCGuy]

Another vote for the M&P-22.

 

[OCGuy]

22lr is hard to find right now,

22lr is simple to find. Finding it for the prices you were used to might be a different story.

Aside from that, the cost of the round is what would deter me from getting a .223 as a plinker for kids. You want a rifle they can master and shoot on a whim for a few dollars rather than a few hundred. .22 ammo isn't even cheap anymore, but it's much better than $.40-.60/round

You can get steel cased .223 for .$30/rd easily....


I'm confused when people say .223/5.56 is some large round.

 

[corwin]

AR style 22lr $400-500 vs. .223 AR $750+$300 for good conversion kit

In a normal state you could get an AR with a conversion for under $1k easy right now..."compliant" models probably not

 

[corwin]

I'm confused when people say .223/5.56 is some large round.

Not LARGE...but larger than .22 in every respect...although very tame compared to major hunting rounds

 

[DrPizza]

Yeah, I know you want one rifle for the both of you, but my advice: get 2.

You can get a decent .22, with scope, that groups them tight at 100 yards for next to nothing. They're cheap. And, the nice thing, they hold their value well. You can always resell it sometime in the future and upgrade your gun. I'd estimate that for under $600, you could have both.

 

[MrPickins]

22lr is simple to find. Finding it for the prices you were used to might be a different story.

I suppose that's true.

Luckily I still have 1250 rounds or so of CCI Mini-Mags that I got for ~$.07/round (along with some cheaper stuff I have).

No way am I paying twice that for bulk ammo, like I see here:

http://www.gunbot.net/ammo/rimfire/22lr/

 

[mizzou]

don't be a wimp, get a .22LR, your children and your wallet will love you for it.

.22LR is no boring then any other gun, they all go boom the same way.

 

[OCGuy]

I suppose that's true.

Luckily I still have 1250 rounds or so of CCI Mini-Mags that I got for ~$.07/round (along with some cheaper stuff I have).

No way am I paying twice that for bulk ammo, like I see here:

http://www.gunbot.net/ammo/rimfire/22lr/

Gunbroker.com you can still get ~$.10/rd using Buy it Now, or even less if you are patient enough for auctions or buy large quantities.

 

[moonbogg]

ruger 10/22..tricked out.

Ex:

Ooooh! That's pretty!

 

[MrPickins]

Gunbroker.com you can still get ~$.10/rd using Buy it Now, or even less if you are patient enough for auctions or buy large quantities.

Still too rich for my blood.

Besides, I'm not gonna feed the resale monster.

 

[madoka]

Yeah, I know you want one rifle for the both of you, but my advice: get 2.

+1

In addition to the M&P 15-22, I also have a AR15 lower with a dedicated .22LR upper. I figured that I could slap on a normal upper and have essentially two different guns in one. I spent several hundreds of dollars to buy an upgraded Spike's Tactical 22LR upper and found that it was not as good as the M&P 15-22. And for the cost of that AR15 hybrid, I could have bought three M&P 15-22s.

 

[Gunslinger08]

.22lr (like a 10/22). A .410 shotgun can be fun for a kid too - easier to hit the target and everyone feels awesome shooting a shotgun. I don't think an AR-15 is too much for a kid to handle, but you need to be sure they can comfortably hold it (collapsible stock). AR-15 is going to cost considerably more and .223 costs quite a bit more than .22lr.

 

[OCGuy]

Still too rich for my blood.

Besides, I'm not gonna feed the resale monster.

Eh I think this "normal" that I keep hearing people waiting for ammo prices to return to is a myth.

I think we are now in the new "normal", and very close to where ammo prices will bottom out. One school shooting and we are back up to $1/rd for common calibers.

Lead ammo is going to become more and more scarce overall. I think deciding what the value of something is based off of what you used to pay for it is going to disappoint you every time.

If 22LR starts being priced everywhere for $10/rd, and it sells, then the value of a single 22LR round is $10.

 

[corwin]

Eh I think this "normal" that I keep hearing people waiting for ammo prices to return to is a myth.

I think we are now in the new "normal", and very close to where ammo prices will bottom out. One school shooting and we are back up to $1/rd for common calibers.

Lead ammo is going to become more and more scarce overall. I think deciding what the value of something is based off of what you used to pay for it is going to disappoint you every time.

If 22LR starts being priced everywhere for $10/rd, and it sells, then the value of a single 22LR round is $10.

Sadly true:\

 

[BoomerD]

.22 is the perfect firearm for kids to learn with...and it's not a bad caliber for adults to use to keep their rifle skills honed either.

I'm shocked at the shortage of .22LR. I gave away several bricks when we sold off our long guns a couple of years ago. Maybe 3000- 4000 rounds...mostly Remington, but a few cans of other ammo too.

.22 used to be dirt cheap. I think $10 is the most I ever paid for a brick of 500...

 

[shredz]

Well I want to buy one gun that we can all use, not one for each of us. I don't really want to shoot a .22. That AR looking one is cool though. I also was looking for something cheap since it is just for fun and not a necessity for our life.

Buy an AR (or if you already have one) by a $200 .22lr bolt conversion kit that will let you use your AR with 22lr. I have one and it's a blast.

 

[kage69]

I have no idea why you would need anything more than a .22 for an 8-10 year old, or why you would consider a .22 too boring for that role. Are you wanting your kid to learn gun safety and proper shooting technique the easy, much less expensive way, or is this closer to a "my boy started with a AR! Murica. Fuck yeah." situation?

Ruger 10/22 is the first thing that comes to mind, but the small bolt actions by Crickett, Henry, Marlin and others would probably be better. .22 ammo can be pretty dirty - can't have those kids getting frustrated with jams and lots of cleaning now can we?

As others have mentioned, there is a element of safety in going with, you know, non-military grade arms for inexperienced prepubescent children. Why not get 'kid ammo' for the kids, and save the heavier stuff for when he's more mature and knowledgeable? He will get the basics down in safer, less expensive way, and be more informed and choosey when you take him shopping for AR components so he can build his own!

 

[jpeyton]

Get a basic .22LR bolt action rifle, like a Savage Mark II or a Ruger American Rimfire.

They have iron sights, which will teach them the basics of marksmanship, low recoil, low noise, and ammunition is inexpensive.

Go bolt action over a semi-auto; it teaches your kids patience and translates into less spent or wasted ammunition.

Even at the gouge-me price of $30 per 500 round brick that some retailers are selling .22LR for, it's $0.06 per round. .223 is $0.35 and up.

 

[OCGuy]

As others have mentioned, there is a element of safety in going with, you know, non-military grade arms for inexperienced prepubescent children. Why not get 'kid ammo' for the kids, and save the heavier stuff for when he's more mature and knowledgeable? He will get the basics down in safer, less expensive way, and be more informed and choosey when you take him shopping for AR components so he can build his own!

While I agree 100% with the M&P 22 suggestion, I am not sure what "military grade" is. That is a term made up by gun-grabbers to scare the soccer moms.

My Mini-14 and AR-15 shoot the same ammo, and will kill you the same, but the Mini-14 is not a Scary Black Rifle, so it does not get the same attention from lawmakers, the media, or in fairness the people who I take to the range who aren't 2A enthusiasts.

Not Scary:

Scary: